At a scene with multiple responders, what is the safest approach to vehicle movement?

• A. Ignore other vehicles to move faster
• B. Maintain safe distances to avoid secondary collisions
• C. Move into the path of others
• D. Stop all vehicles

Answer: (B)

Maintaining safe distances between vehicles at a scene with multiple responders is essential to prevent secondary collisions and give responders room to work. When follow distances are kept, there’s enough time to react to sudden movements, to stop if a vehicle or person enters the roadway, and to avoid a chain-reaction crash that could involve multiple responders and bystanders. Chasing speed or squeezing between vehicles increases the chances of hitting equipment, personnel, or other moving units, which is why that approach is unsafe. Stopping all vehicles can create gridlock and unnecessary hazards, while moving into the path of others is obviously dangerous. Keeping space between moving vehicles keeps the scene safer and makes it easier to control traffic around the responders.